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James McCarthy-Price is setting up an academic support program for Indigenous high school students, preparing for a semester of study abroad in Italy - and still had time to represent WA at the National Windsurfing Wave Championships.

James (26), an Environmental Engineering student who has a UWA Sports Development Scholarship, is the top-ranked Australian Freestyle windsurfer and recently placed third in the Australian Wave Sailing discipline at Phillip Island last month.

He hopes to compete in the Australian Freestyle windsurfing championships before going to the University of Bologna to continue his Masters of Professional Engineering.

"At the moment I'm busy building a start-up for IndGenius ," said James, who is Vice-President of EnactusUWA, a global initiative of university students who develop social enterprises to improve quality of life and living standards locally and internationally.

"We are building a program that will provide tailored academic support for Indigenous kids through a core of talented, passionate and culturally aware tutors. We're piloting our program with Balga High School with the goal to build a platform that could be used to help kids across the state."

James grew up in Esperance where he loved to surf. "We have great waves and the beaches are uncrowded," he said. "But in Perth, the waves are pretty average and really crowded, so I took up windsurfing, which I can do on the uncrowded river."

He says he "disappears about 3pm" every day to windsurf on the river at Pelican Point or to "nip up to Lancelin for the afternoon".

"Pelican Point is a world class windsurfing location and we are so lucky to have it right on the University's doorstep. There is already a windsurfing school there, but it would be great to set up a pool of newer equipment for students to learn how to windsurf. The learning curve is pretty steep, but it's such a rewarding and dynamic sport," he said.

James is excited about his exchange in Bologna but is preparing to compete in both the Australian Freestyle National Titles and the Enactus National Competition in June before heading to Italy in September.

He thanked his windsurfing sponsors Severne Sails, Starboard, KineticIT and Windsurfing Western Australia.

For more information about EnactusUWA, please visit the website: enactusuwa.org